Talk about a unique subject! Roden’s latest release is a 1/35 scale 1947 GM PD-3751 Greyhound bus, also known as Silversides for their polished metal bodies. Be warned: You’ll need room on your workbench. Even in 1/35 scale, the finished model is 12-inches long and weighs more than 2 pounds.
The instructions include a brief history, part map, and 36 illustrated assembly steps. These steps include color callouts and part images, but no descriptions. A separate color page shows the nine decal options. Also included is a small card with a picture of an actual bus. However, be a wary builder because there are numerous part-number errors in the instructions.
The wheels and tires come molded together in plastic halves making painting a challenge. I have a circle cutter and was able to make masks for the wheels. Unfortunately, the lightly molded tread was mostly lost when I sanded the join between the halves.
The interior includes 37 passenger seats, each consisting of five parts. I recommend building them over several sessions to avoid burnout. The instructions show the glued to the passenger compartment floor at this point, but I noticed a warp in the suspension-underbody panel that needed correction first. The two floor panels glue together with a gap between them; I glued a length of square styrene tubing between them to straighten as much of the warp as possible. Leaving the warp uncorrected will affect body-panel alignment later on.
The driver’s compartment and entry finish the interior. Two bulkheads divide the driver and passenger areas. Make sure they are positioned correctly because, again, they will influence the body’s side panel locations.
The detailed Detroit Diesel 6-71 engine is a kit in itself and can be displayed if you pose the rear access panels open. If I build another, I’ll use small rare-earth magnets to be leave the panels removable. The instructions do not do the best job telling you where to mount the engine, but alignment is critical. Take your time, study the model and test-fit the parts before applying glue.
When assembling the multipart body, test-fit the side windows first; I had to enlarge each opening slightly for fit. Hopefully, someone will release a mask set for the glass because that would be a definite timesaver.
Deviating from the instructions, I made a one-piece assembly out of the roof, nose, and tail panels, so I could fill unsightly gaps at the joins. The loose side panels kept the subassembly aligned during this process. I attached the roof, front, and rear assembly to the floor section before gluing on the sides. The front left side panel was warped in my kit and required considerable glue and pressure to get into position.
I painted my bus with Tamiya acrylics and Alclad II lacquers. The decals performed well over paint and were opaque. The marking options mostly cover different city destinations and unit numbers, but there is a military variant for a program that carried recruits to training facilities in different parts of the country, including Alaska. The Greyhound logos for the side panels are decals that go on matching PE parts mounted on the body.
While challenging and time consuming, much like a road trip across the U.S. during the 1960s, I think Roden’s 1/35 scale Silverside bus model kit well worth the effort. I spent more than 200 hours on mine, a considerable portion of it masking and painting. Roden’s willingness to produce such an unusual civilian subject shows a willingness to branch out from the norm, and I can’t wait to see what the company produces next.